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Hey friends, have you registered to vote yet? Since Georgia is a long-burning trash fire of voter repression, the deadline for voter registration is October 11th. Now, even if you think you’re registered, you might want to double check! Georgia will remove you from the voter registration rolls if you haven’t voted in 3 years or so. Additionally, if you’ve changed your name or if you’ve moved, you need to update your registration. Check your status, find your polling location, and register to vote here: https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do

Now, I know some people have a lot of ethical concerns about both Hillary and Trump leaving them in a position where they don’t feel like they can vote for either without betraying their personal beliefs. I get that, and I would never tell someone to sacrifice their personal politics. However, still show up to the polls!

You can leave the presidential portion blank and vote for other positions. If anything, those positions are arguably more important and impactful than the presidency since local government and officials shape our daily lives. Things that you might consider minor, like soil and water supervisor, actually have huge impacts.

For example, certain parts of Atlanta flood when it rains and the sewers overflow, exposing the residents of those areas to some nasty bacteria. Those problems certainly aren’t happening in Alpharetta or Buckhead. And this is just one example of how seemingly small positions have such huge impacts on our lives. Sheriffs and judges run for office, too!

We have the opportunity to elect people who think that black lives matter, that trans lives matter, all of these deeply important issues. Having local officials who are from and care about traditionally underserved and oppressed communities instead of the same interchangeable straight rich white cis men with bad haircuts can and will change lives.

Look, the state doesn’t want us to vote. We scare them, and they should be afraid of us. Queer people have a long history of voter engagement. We have the power to disrupt the system, and we have an obligation to do so. So many people have had their right to vote stripped away from them due to racist mass incarceration policies, or can’t even access the right to vote because this country refuses to let immigrants become full U.S. citizens. Vote because they can’t. Vote because the people in power don’t want you to. And is there anything more satisfying than pissing off the people in power?|